PM requests UNMISET December 4 results The Prime Minister, Dr Mari
Alkatiri, said that he will seek an explanation from UNMISET about the
outcome of the UNMISET investigation into 4th of December, 2002. He added
that he doesn't know why it has taken almost a year. The head of UNMISET
in Timor-Leste, Ambassador Kamalesh Sharma, said that the report will be
released next week. According to the paper, the Prime Minister said that
the head of UNMISET Kamalesh Sharma had requested an urgent meeting with
the Prime Minister on this matter.

China gives full support to Department of Agriculture The Vice-Minister
of Development and Environment, Abel Ximenes, said that the Government of
China has given financial support and assistance to the Department of
Agriculture and Fishery. He added that the Government of China has
contributed a lot in terms of technical training and development of Timor-Leste.

Law needed to combat corruption During a seminar entitled Transparency
and Responsibility in Public Administration, the Investigative Judge for
Dili District Court, Cerilio Jose Cristovao SH, said that law has to be
promulgated to allow for the establishment of an instrument to fight
corruption and nepotism.

STL

People need to change their mentality The President, Kay Rala Xanana
Gusmao, said that he'll be the happiest man in Timor-Leste if the
Government fulfills its promise to fight corruption and nepotism in Timor-Leste.
Mr Gusmao said that people also have a responsibility to give up the
mentality that they acquired during the Indonesian time.

East Timorese losing confidence Post-independence confidence in East
Timor has declined, with nearly 40 per cent of East timorese saying they
feel worse off now than under Indonesian rule. Less than half are
optimistic about the future, according to the survey done by International
Republican Institute. According to the article, the poll comes as East
Timor is wrestling with a stagnant economy and doubts over the
Government's ability to run the country after the United Nations departs
next year.

Corruption report handed to Prime Minister The Inspector General,
Mariano Lopes da Cruz, said that the report resultant from the
investigation into the Department of Public Works about the misuse of
money has been delivered to the Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri. Mr Lopes
said that the investigation team had only five days to complete the
investigation before getting the report to the Prime Minister.

Honesty and integrity within Government staff The Inspector General,
Mariano Lopes da Cruz, said that public servants need to have honesty and
integrity if corruption is to be eradicated. He added that Government
public servants need to be apolitical.

Indonesians detained for illegal logging The Border Patrol Unit
Commander in the District of CovaLima, Quintino do Carmo, said that four
Indonesian citizens have been arrested for trespassing and illegal wood
cutting in Mota-Ain, Maliana. Mr Quintino said that the four men will be
handed over to the Indonesian Police at the border after the
investigation.

Maritime Boundary Talks between Timor-Leste and Australia

The governments of East Timor (Timor-Leste) and Australia yesterday
held preliminary talks in Darwin on establishing permanent maritime
boundaries in the Timor Sea. The Government of Timor-Leste hopes and
expects that the Australian Government will approach upcoming maritime
boundary talks in a manner consistent with Prime Minister John Howard's
pledge to negotiate "in good faith". This is Australia's legal
obligation. Given that Australia has so far refused to exercise the
restraint required at international law pending delimitation, Timor-Leste
has urged Australia to commit to a rigorous schedule of talks in order to
resolve the boundary quickly. Timor-Leste inherited no maritime boundaries
from Portugal, Indonesia or UNTAET. The Timor Sea Treaty and related
agreements between Timor-Leste and Australia are interim measures that
will terminate upon the delimitation of permanent maritime boundaries.
Timor-Leste Prime Minister Dr. Mari Alkatiri said the start of talks marks
an important first step towards resolving Australia and Timor-Leste's
competing claims and recognizing Timor-Leste's right to determine its
maritime boundaries. Timor-Leste's claim in the Timor Sea is based
squarely on its entitlement at international law. It extends to all of the
Timor Sea Treaty area (which includes the Bayu-Undan field), the Greater
Sunrise field, and the Laminaria, Corallina and Buffalo fields. All of
these fields are closer to Timor-Leste than to Australia. Australia has an
international legal obligation to exercise restraint in regard to the
exploitation of resources in disputed maritime areas. Despite this,
Australia is unilaterally exploiting the Laminaria, Corallina and Buffalo
fields. Timor-Leste has not received one penny of the approximately U.S.$2
billion that Australia is estimated to collect from these fields.

Further, on April 22 of this year, Australia awarded a new permit in an
area adjacent to the Sunrise field (Permit NT/P65). This was only weeks
after the Sunrise unitisation agreement was signed, and months after Prime
Minister Mari Alkatiri had written to the Australian Prime Minister asking
that Australia exercise restraint in relation to areas of overlapping
claims in accordance with its obligations under international law.
Resolution of the maritime boundary dispute is all the more pressing, as
Timor-Leste is one of the poorest nations in the world and requires
substantial resources for national reconstruction and development. Timor-Leste
would prefer to have access to its own resources to accomplish this,
rather than depend on foreign aid.

Press Release from the Office of the Prime Minister Timor-Leste
Government.